Why we quit using the Bill Cosby Meme

Here at the Other98 we use a lot of memes. They’re a great way to get wonky information across in a way that’s fun and easily digestible. A lot of the time we just riff off of existing memes that we see out there on the internets – everything from “Scumbag Steve” to “Condescending Wonka”.

And yes, we even used “Confused Bill Cosby” a number of times:

But then, in February of this year, we read a story in Gawker that delved into the largely untold story of the real Bill Cosby. I was shocked, to say the least. I grew up watching Fat Albert and remember him from The Electric Company. It broke my heart watching a little piece of my childhood twist apart into something so ugly. The worst part? These allegations have been out there for decades, but thanks to the media’s appalling disinterest, I’d never even heard of them.

I didn’t want to believe it. But then again, that reluctance to believe is exactly why he was able to get away with that bullshit for so long. Who wants to think that the pudding pop man is a serial rapist?

Luckily though, there was another talented, funny, awesome comedienne on the Cosby Show who is a great replacement.

We present to you, dear internet;

Confused Phylicia Rashād

Feel free to upload this onto any meme generator of your choice.

Obviously, none of us can know the truth about Bill Cosby for sure. But “neutrality” doesn’t exist here: you either give Cosby the benefit of the doubt, or you give it to the 15 women telling the same awful story. In a world where something like 6% of rape survivors ever see justice, we choose to believe them.

The rape allegations against Bill Cosby are a classic case of he said/she she she she she she she she she she she she she she and she said.